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High School - Bronx - Auguste Groguet

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Elemér Polóny

  • Queens
  • 9/19/2026 9:41:02 AM
  • 0 Comments
  • View Count 30
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Elmer Polony 01

Elemér Polóny, Abstract Forms in Space, 1974-78, marble, PS 95 Addition, Queens​

 

 

Abstract Forms in Space is large-scale marble mural created by Elemér Polóny (b. 1911; d. 1991) in the new PS 95 Addition in Queens. The 14-panel marble inlay features abstract forms unfolding across a long horizontal span. Polóny constructed his imagery from meticulously cut and tightly fitted pieces of marble. He selected earthy hues of greens, blues, maroons and yellows, and thoughtfully juxtaposed them to bring out the stones' natural contrasts in grain and mineral structure. Lighter colors seem to recede while darker colors advance, giving the artwork a sense of spatial depth even though its surface is smooth and flat. A field of white stone serves as a backdrop for swooping black arches and biomorphic forms that invite many interpretations—from bison in Paleolithic cave paintings to amoebas viewed under a microscope or cross-sections of the Earth’s layers. These elements intersect and overlap, making the stone feel alive with movement despite its weight and solidity. into a continuous landscape that transitions from fall to winter and from spring to summer, highlighting the bay as a year-round source of life for the community.

Abstract Forms in Space was fabricated by artisans at the Nannini Viviani workshop in Pietrasanta, Italy, a town long known as a center of marble craftsmanship. Although Polóny was trained as a fresco painter in his native Hungary, his interest in marble inlay reflects the formative years he spent in Italy between 1948 and 1951 before emigrating to the United States. The mural was completed in 1978 for the Occupational Training Center in Staten Island. After the school closed, the artwork was carefully removed and conserved before being installed in the new addition at PS 95 in Queens.

Characteristic of Polóny's organic abstraction, the mural encourages students to look closely and interpret freely. By revealing the marble’s inherent beauty, formed over millions of years through heat and pressure, Polóny fosters curiosity about its geologic origins and a deeper appreciation for the forces that shaped it.

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Search by artist’s name, school, year or keyword in box below. Search by borough by clicking on tags.

Elemér Polóny

  • Queens
  • 9/19/2026 9:41:02 AM
  • 0 Comments
  • View Count 30
  • Return
Elmer Polony 01

Elemér Polóny, Abstract Forms in Space, 1974-78, marble, PS 95 Addition, Queens​

 

 

Abstract Forms in Space is large-scale marble mural created by Elemér Polóny (b. 1911; d. 1991) in the new PS 95 Addition in Queens. The 14-panel marble inlay features abstract forms unfolding across a long horizontal span. Polóny constructed his imagery from meticulously cut and tightly fitted pieces of marble. He selected earthy hues of greens, blues, maroons and yellows, and thoughtfully juxtaposed them to bring out the stones' natural contrasts in grain and mineral structure. Lighter colors seem to recede while darker colors advance, giving the artwork a sense of spatial depth even though its surface is smooth and flat. A field of white stone serves as a backdrop for swooping black arches and biomorphic forms that invite many interpretations—from bison in Paleolithic cave paintings to amoebas viewed under a microscope or cross-sections of the Earth’s layers. These elements intersect and overlap, making the stone feel alive with movement despite its weight and solidity. into a continuous landscape that transitions from fall to winter and from spring to summer, highlighting the bay as a year-round source of life for the community.

Abstract Forms in Space was fabricated by artisans at the Nannini Viviani workshop in Pietrasanta, Italy, a town long known as a center of marble craftsmanship. Although Polóny was trained as a fresco painter in his native Hungary, his interest in marble inlay reflects the formative years he spent in Italy between 1948 and 1951 before emigrating to the United States. The mural was completed in 1978 for the Occupational Training Center in Staten Island. After the school closed, the artwork was carefully removed and conserved before being installed in the new addition at PS 95 in Queens.

Characteristic of Polóny's organic abstraction, the mural encourages students to look closely and interpret freely. By revealing the marble’s inherent beauty, formed over millions of years through heat and pressure, Polóny fosters curiosity about its geologic origins and a deeper appreciation for the forces that shaped it.

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